Become a RFDS Mental Health Clinician - Far North
A rewarding job
A challenging job
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) is passionate about the communities we work with and enjoy positively contributing to improving the welfare of those we serve.
Working with local people across all cultures in remote locations in Far North Queensland and having the freedom to provide care to clients in a way that suits their individual needs is a rewarding experience requiring resilience and commitment to giving back.
Work with residents of some of the most remote communities across Far North Queensland.
Since 2000 the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) has been providing mental health services across difficult to access parts of Far North Queensland.
Our service provides culturally appropriate, evidence-based, psychological therapies to individuals who present with mild to moderate mental health needs.
Comprising of our mental health nurses, social workers, psychologists, mental health occupational therapists and recognised mental health counsellors, our Far North team works alongside many key stakeholders using a stepped care approach.
We offer the following programs:
- Place Based Psychological Therapies
This program is designed to service areas of Cape York to support people who present with mild to moderate mental health needs.
It focuses on the intake, triage, assessment and ongoing treatment for those who wish to engage with the program. Clinicians will be required to draw from a range of theoretical frameworks to work towards recovery.
It is available to people aged 12 years and older, and is accessed by self-referral or referral from a health professional, non-government organisation and family members, friends and carers.
- Child & Parenting
This program allows children, parents, and carers access to a specialised mental health clinician.
This covers both individual sessions but also psycho-educational sessions for teachers and other school staff around issues that impact children’s learning such as anxiety and trauma.
The program also responds to emergent issues such as stress, self-harm, grief, and loss.
It is the clinicians role to work with clients towards recovery, while focusing on strengthening relationships with other providers to ensure holistic care is provided.
What does it take to become a Mental Health Clinician – Far North?
- Registration with AHPRA or membership of the AASW
- Qualification in Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy or Mental Health Nursing
- Social Workers need to be accredited mental health social workers through AASW, and mental health nurses need to be credentialed with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN)
- Recognised mental health counsellor with relevant qualifications
- Post-graduate experience of at least five years in a relevant clinical field for a senior role
- Experience providing clinical supervision and/or leadership to a clinical team for a senior role is desirable
- Demonstrated experience in brief interventions, therapeutic counselling, case management, and mental health education
- Ability to communicate and work effectively within remote communities
- Understand the issues impacting Indigenous health and wellbeing
- Ability to work autonomously
- Develop and deliver culturally appropriate holistic services including clinical assessments
- Deliver services on an individual, family, and community level
- Provide a range of evidence-based clinical interventions
Looking for future opportunity?
Our far north mental health clinicians are a team of highly skilled and trained clinicians.
These roles are very autonomous and require extensive demonstrated experience.
If you are interested in the role but unsure if you have the skills required, we can arrange a meeting for you with one of the clinicians so you can have a development conversation.
This will allow you to understand where you need to consolidate your skills and receive general advice so you can pursue your dream of supporting the people of Queensland and working for the RFDS.
Benefits of working for RFDS
- Flexibility in your practice as you don't have to be in the office all day every day
- Independent decision making
- Building relationships with small communities and being able to see people grow
- Being part of a wonderful team and community within the RFDS itself
- A supportive team environment
- The freedom and flexibility to use your own clinical judgement
Extra benefits of working for RFDS
- Attractive remuneration packages up to $105,000 + super
- Salary packaging of $18,500 increasing your take-home pay
- Work an eight day fortnight with one of those days being on base for admin
- FIFO when staying overnight in community- all travel, accommodation and daily allowances provided. Stay in community two nights one week and three nights the next.
- Training and development opportunities with paid study leave and paid external clinical supervision
- Employee Assistance Program- advice for staff and their families
- Private health insurance discounts
- Live in Remote Area Package (Normanton only):
- Weekly Rent/ Mortgage Assistance ($220) + Gratuity ($3,492.43) received after 12 months
- $7,000 after three years of service
- Remote area payment of $4,688 annually
Where you could work
RFDS (Queensland Section) delivers more than 12,100 mental health consultation annually.
Our Mental Health Clinicians - Far North operate in areas north and west from Cairns including the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf of Carpentaria. Please refer to the map for locations covered.
The RFDS (Queensland Section) Values
Want to work for the RFDS?
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